Acetylene-lamp.



Patented Feb. l3, I900.

W- P. GBABY.

AGETYLENE LAMP.

(Applicatiori filed Dec. 6, 1898.)

(No Model.)

m: NoRms PETERS co.. wuoTo-urnu. wnsnmomu. a. c.

NE STATES ATENT FFICE.

\VILLIAM P. CRARY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THEEDXVARD MILLER dc COMPANY, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT.

ACETYLENE-LAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,111, dated February13, 1900.

' Application filed December 6, 1898. Serial No- 698,411- (No model.)

To all whom zit may concern.-

-Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. CRARY, a citizen of the United States,residing in New York'city, in the county and State of New York, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Acetylene Lamps, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The invention relates more particularly to that class of lamps in whichthe water-reservoir and generating-chamber form part of the lamp-bod yand casing of a portable whole, and has for its object increasedefficiency, better facilities for conveniently charging and discharging,and more complete control of the water-supply.

The invention as I have carried it out in a bicycle or driving lampconsists of a receptacle below, also serving as the generatingchamber,in direct communication with the burner above, and a reservoir for waterlocated in rear of the burner. The water is led to a low point in thereceptacle, and the controlling-valve is located at this low point.Means are provided for operating the valve from an easily-reached pointon the exterior of the casing, preferably on the upper face of thereservoir, and for easily and quickly discharging the residuurnfrom thereduced carbid and replacing it with active material.

The invention also consists in certain details of construction and novelarrangements of parts to be hereinafter described.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and show apreferred form of the invention.

Figure l is a central vertical section, partly in elevation, through abicycle lamp constructed in accordance with my invention, thenon-essential portions being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is acorresponding top or plan view with certain portions removed or omitted.The remaining figures are on a larger scale and show portions detached.Fig. 3 is a vertical section; and Fig. 4 ahorizontal section, partly inplan view.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

A is the body of the lamp, which may be of any approved design andequipped, as usual, with reflector, lens, lightingapertures, and otherappurtenances.

B is the reservoir, forming part of the body and located in the rearthereof. It is a circular chamber adapted to receive water through afilling-tube B, closed by a perforated screwcap B The filling-tube ismounted with freedom to revolve and is held against removal by thecollars B B engaging above and below the horizontal disk or flange Bsecured to the upper face of the reservoir and inclosing the upper endof the tube. An arm 13, forming an extension from the upper collar B ,isprovided with a thu mb-piece B by which the filling-tube may bepartially rotated, and a series of notches b in the rim of the disk 13receives a detent on the under face ofthe arm and serves to hold thetube in any required position. The lower end of the tube is open, but isbridged across at B and provided with a small rectangular opening 17, asshown. The lower portion of the reservoir is in communication, throughthe orifice W, with a flat rectangular casing C, forming part of thelower portion of the lamp-body and extending inwardlya little beyond theaxial line of the burner D and receptacle F. The latter is a thin shellof brass or other suitable material screw-threaded at F to form a tightjunction with the threaded ring E, attached to the lamp-body and havingan upward extension E, fitted with a central gas-tube E terminating inany suitable burner D. The

casingC lies a little below the gas-tube E allowing sufficient space forthe passage of gas to the burner, which space is preferablylooselypacked with cotton-wool e, serving to par tially obstruct the passage,and thus prevent the transmission to the burner of sudden changes inpressure due to shocks or violent vibrations,while allowing sufficientgas to flow through to supply the burner at all times. From the lowerface of the casing 0 extends a tube C, lying in the axial line of thereceptacle F and reaching nearly to the bottom of the latter and endingin a longitudinally-adjustable valve-seat G. It will be observed thatwater from the reservoir fills the casing C and tube C and is deliveredat the desired low point in the receptacle. A tapered valve G,providedwith a screw-thread Giis adapted to pass through a spider C which may becorrespondingly screw-threaded and supported to the tube 0 by arms inany well-known manner. The valve G is raised and lowered to increase ordiminish the flow by turning the valve-stem G inclosed in the tube 0,which stem may have its upper end squared and extended into the casingO. The valve may be operated by a segmental gear H loosely mounted onthe squared portion G of the stem, meshing into an idle intermediatespur-gear H having a spindle H which in turn meshes with a gear H fixednear the lower end of a rod I-I, having a squared upper end H matchingto the hole I) in the bridge B in the filling-tube 13, above described.The lower end of the rod H is received in a bearing or socket C in thebottom of the casing O, and all the gears lie within the latter and areheld in place by the flat curved spring C one surface of which may bearagainst the gears, while the other side may bear against the inner wallof the case 0. The spring 0 may be perforated to re ceive the spindlesof the gears. It will be seen that on turning the arm B the motion iscommunicated through the tube B, rod II, and the several gears to thevalve G, and the latter will be correspondingly raised or lowered by itsscrew-thread G relatively to the seat C the squared upper end rising andsinking idly through the aperture in the gear H, and thus governing theflow of water to the interior of the receptacle.

J is a cup of thin sheet metalfitting loosely within the receptacle Fand adapted to receive the calcium carbid in crushed or gran ulatedform. Its upper edge J is rolled or curled inward, as shown, to providean abutmentfor avolute spring K of large diameter secured at the lowerend to an annular disk or follower K, resting upon the carbid M andexerting its force expansively to hold the latter down and prevent itsdisplacement by changes in the position of the lamp and follow the uppersurface as the volume of carbid lessens by consumption.

L is a circular disk lying in the bottom of the cup J and having anupwardly-project ing foraminated tube L secured to its central boss L.The tube is preferably wrapped in a thin covering L of muslin or otherfabric and incloses the downwardly-projecting Water-supply tube 0 andvalve-chamber G. It serves to hold the carbid away from the water-tubeand prevent the clogging of the orifice in the latter, particularly bythe spent carbid in the form of a thick paste. It also performs animportant function in the removal of such residuum from the cup J bygrasping the tube L and lifting it from the cup. A large part of thespent carbid will be lifted out and the remainder may be removed byrinsing under a flow of water. In charging the cup the disk L is firstplaced therein and then the required amount of carbid added in theannular space surrounding the tube L The follower K is then inserted,and the upper convolution of the spring K is engaged beneath the edge Jand the cup placed in the receptacle E, which is screwed to place withthe water-tube 0 Within the tube L The arm B being then turned in thedirection to lower the valve and close the orifice, the cap B is removedand clean water poured through the filling-tube B until the tube C,casing O, and a portion of the reservoir B are filled. Then on turningthe arm in the direction to raise the valve water is admitted to the cupand acting upon the carbid occasions the development of gas, which fillsthe receptacle or generating-chamber and escaping through the cotton 6to the tube E may be ignited at the burner, as usual. The flow of Waterand consequent volume of gas is easily controlled by the arm, and theposition of the latter when determined is held by one of the series ofnotches b engaging the detent.

I attach importance to the location of the valve. By placing it at theextreme lower end of the water-tube I am able to shut off the supplyinstantly, leaving no accumulation to escape slowly in small drops afterthe valve has been closed and continue for an indefinite period theevolution of the gas. Another advantage due to that construction lies inthe fact that the water is under a pressure of a column measured by thevertical distance between the valve and the level in the reservoir, thusinsuring a quick response when the valve is raised but slightly, and asthe valve is at the extreme end of the tube there is no idle space to befilled with gas under pressure endeavoring to escape through the tubeand thus obstruct the flow.

By forming the abutment for the spring K in the cup J, I am able todetach the latter with its contents as a whole and avoid the annoyancecaused by the sudden expansion of a loose spring when released.

Modifications may be made in the forms and proportions within Widelimits Without departing from the invention.

The materials employed may be varied indefinitely, and othervalve-operating mechanism may be substituted for the gears shown.

Iclaim-- 1. In a gas-lamp, a water-chamber, a gasgenerating chamber, awater-supply pipe, an elongated valve therein, a space around saidvalve, an adjustable valve-seat carried by said pipe, an opening in saidseat in line with said valve, and adapted to be closed thereby, and awater-distributin g pipe around said valve and seat and within saidgas-generating chamber.

2. In a gas-lamp, a water-chamber, a gas generating chamber, awater-supply pipe, an elongated valve therein, means to move said valvelongitudinally, a space around said valve, an adjustable valve-seatcarried by said pipe, an opening in said seat in line withsaid valve andadapted to be closed thereby and a Water-distributing pipe around saidvalve and seat and within said gas-generatin g chamber.

3. In a gas-lamp, a water-chamber, a gasgenerating chamber, awater-supply pipe, an elongated valve therein, means to move said valvelongitudinally, a water-space around said valve, a valveseat carried bysaid pipe and means to move said valve-seat longitudinally thereon, anopening in said seat in line with said valve and adapted to be closedthereby, and a water-distributing pipe around said valve and seat andwithin said gas-generating chamber.

4. In a gas-lamp, a water-chamber, a gasgenerating chamber, awater-supply pipe, an elongated tapered valve therein, means to movesaid valve longitudinally, a water-space around said valve, a valve-seatcarried by said pipe, means to move said seat longitudinally thereon, anopening in said seat in line with said valve, said opening being of lessdiameter than the greatest diameter of said valve and awater-distributing pipe around said valve and seat and within saidgas-gencrating chamber.

5. The lamp-body A, reservoir B forming part thereof, receptacle F belowsaid body, casing O comm unicatiug between said reservoir andreceptacle, the downwardly-extending tube 0 from said casing, ascrew-valve G at the lower end of said water-tube, a valve-stem Ginclosed in the latter and reaching into said casing, a rod I-Iextending downwardly in said reservoir into said casing, and a train ofgears H H H inclosed in the casing and communicating motion from saidrod to said stem to raise and lower said valve, all combined andarranged to serve substantially as herein specified.

6. In a lamp of the character set forth, the receptacle F, cup J thereinhaving the inwardly-curled upper edge J, a disk L having anupwardly-extending central foraminated tube L secured thereto and lyingin said cup, a water-tube inclosed in said foraminated tube, an annularfollower inclosing the latter, and a coiled spring attached to saidfollower and abutting against said curled edge, all combined andarrangedto serve substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

7. The lamp-body A, reservoir B, revoluble filling-tube B and bridge 13having the rectangular aperture b, the casing C, recep tacle F andwatertube 0 extending to a low point in the receptacle from said casingand out of line with said filling-tube, a screwvalve G near the lowerend of said watertube, a valve stem Gr inclosed therein, the gear Hengaging the upper squared end G of the valve-stem, a gear H meshingtherewith and with the gear H, the rod H secured to the latter andhaving its upper squared end H engaged with the lower end of saidfillingtube, the spring 0 for holding the gears, the said casinginclosing said gears and spring and forming an open connection betweensaid reservoir and water-tube, all combined and arranged to servesubstantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

V. P. ORARY.

Witnesses:

CHARLES R. SEARLE, FR. F. SUOHULZE,

